Rain
by T0B1
Summary: Teaching in the rain.


The sky darkens and it's a shocking sight to see a curtain of rain thunder toward him. He could see the entire sheet soak everything in its path as the clouds part for the rain to go through. The awe-striking sound of rain coming closer and closer to him is enough to keep him glued to the spot, not backing up into the abandoned hut that he had found earlier for him and his senpai.

"Look, senpai," Tobi speaks, pointing up at the sheet of rain that's coming ever so closer. By the time he caught Deidara's attention, the rain has already arrived and patters at his gloved hands. Tobi flinches and takes a step back, letting the roof overhang block most of the rain. "It's raining again."

He couldn't see, but he could hear Deidara click his tongue and hiss at him, probably angry that he disturbed him from working on his art. "I have eyes, Tobi, yeah," he says sarcastically, and Tobi could feel the glare on his back. "I can see that it's raining."

Tobi turns around slowly, wondering why Deidara sounds so... aggressive. Of course, it's not uncommon for him to snap at the masked ninja at all. In fact, it's a daily routine for them. If Deidara didn't yell at him or call him stupid, Tobi would seriously worry for his senpai's mental health at that point.

But there was never this much bite in his words. Tobi could sense something is wrong so quickly that he shocked himself by the speed. He approaches Deidara slowly, aware that he is watching his every movement.

Those blue eyes have such a fire inside them, but at the same time, Tobi could tell the fire isn't burning as bright as it should.

Deidara looks back down before Tobi is even close to him, staring down at the lump of clay that he's been molding since they left the inn this morning.

They spent a few days there, rather than the planned quick rest, trying to find out which way they should head next. Obito doesn't mind the lackluster planning and the slow pace, it's not much of an important mission. But during that time, Tobi doesn't recall his senpai reaching for his clay and working. He wonders if the fight they had while arriving at the inn had injured him somehow, but Deidara didn't complain - still isn't really complaining - so he didn't bring up the idle thought.

Deidara doesn't flinch when Tobi sits down next to him, so close that their shoulders are brushing. The masked man leans closer to the younger man, trying to examine his expression but cannot come up with anything. It's something he won't understand unless Deidara speaks his mind.

"Deidara?" Tobi whispers, speaking his name for the first time since they've become official partners. When Tobi was still ranked as Zetsu's subordinate, he didn't have many manners regarding rank. Obito himself still isn't sure why he's so lenient when it comes to Deidara, but Tobi doesn't seem to care, and so Obito doesn't question it either. "What's wrong?"

The terrorist bomber takes a deep breath through his nose, then releases it much the same way. His lips do not part, instead, they press tighter together to form a tight, thin line, the pink of his lips disappearing almost entirely with the lack of circulation.

"I don't know, hmm," Deidara finally responds, even though Tobi would wait patiently for his answer even if it'd take him months. "Something's wrong."

"What is?" Tobi presses the subject, leaning closer to Deidara. He catches him staring down at the white clay he's holding, so he does the same.

The polish on his nails are still the same coat Tobi applied the first night they arrived at the inn. Deidara didn't take it off and apply it again before they left. The polish is the most durable kind, it won't chip as easily as most other brands would, but it's rare for Deidara to not apply a new coat before leaving each leisurely area.

He pays it no mind, though. Instead, he focuses on the soft clay that Deidara is still poking at sometimes.

"The clay?" Tobi inquiries.

"Yes," Deidara sighs, leaning ever so slightly back against the larger man. "It won't work with me. Somehow, it's disagreeing with whatever I'm doing, hmm, and I can't get it to form the shape I want it to."

"What shape do you want it to take?"

"Another bird of prey. I've been thinking of a red kite, maybe, hmm, but it's not working. Everything I make doesn't look right. Something's wrong with it each time, and I don't even know how to begin when I want to remake it again."

"Artist's block?" Tobi offers a name to the problem Deidara is having.

"Maybe, yeah," Deidara says with a sigh, digging his nails into the poor clay. "I don't like it."

"Sorry," Tobi offers, even though he doesn't really know what he's apologizing for. Perhaps for the horrible feeling Deidara is experiencing right now. He also has some sort of suspicion that this all started because of him, even though he doesn't know how to place a finger on it. "I don't know how to help, senpai, art goes over my head."

"It sure does, hmm," Deidara says with a small chuckle.

Tobi response to that with a smile and a little laugh of his own. He reaches over again, this time his wet gloves already removed. He takes the clay from Deidara's hands, ignoring the questioning look he gives him while he does so.

"Senpai," Tobi begins. "You promised to teach me how to mold clay back at the hotel!"

"I promised to teach you by the time lunch comes by, yes, but we haven't had lunch today yet. Besides, that was before," Deidara waves his hand dismissively, trying to also snatch back his lump of clay. "Now give it back, I can't do any good teaching you if I can't even make anything right now, hmm."

"Aw, but senpai! A promise is a promise, and you can never go back on a promise!" Tobi complaints, using his whiny voice to quickly get on Deidara's nerves. He raises an arm to press against Deidara's chest, blocking him from taking the clay.

Deidara's face seemingly twitches, then he relaxes again, letting out a defeated sigh as he sits back down. "Fine, yeah," Deidara grunts out, crossing his arms and almost even pouting childishly. He jabs his chin to direct attention to the clay Tobi is holding. "Shape it into the basic shape you want it to take."

Tobi frowns behind his mask, surprised at this sudden turn of events. Deidara would usually fight him more than this, but he is also glad that his partner is fulfilling his promise. He looks down at the lump of clay in his hands, turning it around a few times to observe it. He doesn't know at this moment what he wants to make.

Perhaps he'll just try and make what Deidara usually makes, one of those silly birds with his senpai's signature hollow eyes.

In concentration, Tobi sticks his tongue out from between his lips as he starts to dig his gloved thumb into the clay, but seemed frustrated when it wouldn't form like he wanted it to.

"Take off your gloves, yeah," Deidara says with a pinch of annoyance in his voice, obviously displeased at the idiocy of his partner. "No one sculpts with gloves on. You won't be able to feel the clay in your hands if you do, hmm."

Tobi blinks at Deidara's words, as though it confuses him. Take off his gloves?

After a few moments, Tobi could see Deidara is opening his mouth, probably thinking that Tobi had not heard him or perhaps even deny him. Not wanting to upset his partner any more than he is now, Tobi waves his hand in a gesture that seems to shut Deidara up even before he says anything.

The gloves come off easily. It certainly feels weird to reveal this bit of skin in front of his partner, who otherwise has only ever seen his toes. It is as though he is practically naked.

It is rather humorous, seeing as he often feels stripped to his core recently when he is around Deidara. It feels like something between them has changed ever since the conversation they had at the inn, and not even the front Obito holds up between them - the façade of being Tobi - is protecting him.

He places the gloves neatly beside himself, acutely aware of the way Deidara is staring at his now exposed hands. They're paler than usual, which shouldn't come as a surprise since he often denies himself vitamin D, but he hopes that Deidara doesn't notice that his right hand is paler than his left.

Taking the clay piece again, he grunts at the back of his throat and begins to mold, trying to mimic the way Deidara does it. It is rather hard, seeing as he doesn't have mouths in his palms to help with the kneading process, but he is using two hands, rather than just one.

"Good, hmm," Deidara says, finally able to tear his gaze from Obito's hands. He seems to be interested in the clay now, though Obito isn't exactly sure.

He doesn't say anything more, so Obito assumes he needs to make it more obvious what he's trying to make before Deidara could give any advice. As he focuses on his work, he bites his tongue lightly. Eventually, the white bit of clay turns into something that resembles a bird, causing Deidara to nod, his hair brushing against his arm.

Obito didn't even notice that he has started to lean in closer.

"Make the wings wider, hm," Deidara mumbles a command, his voice soft but still as clear as day at his closeness. The sound of the pouring rain outside is already a distant memory.

He complies with the order and rests the clay body on his left palm, pinching the two wings at the edge to make it flatter. He remembers the feathers of Itachi's crows and begins to pull at the edge, which Deidara obviously approves of.

They sit together long enough for the rain outside to lessen, but neither of them notices, too engrossed in the kneading process. He can barely pay attention to the sounds around him and the feeling of Deidara's head resting on his shoulder nearly makes him jump. He forces himself to stay rooted in place and relaxes, begging to any heavenly creature that Deidara didn't feel how tense he was.

He tries to control his breathing as he continues to mold the clay, eyes darting around. Unconsciously, he uses his sharingan. He feels torn between wanting to speed up so that he could get Deidara off his shoulder in a more respectful manner, or slow down so that he could enjoy the feeling of being relied on a little longer.

Although he now works with a more practiced hand - as he's copying Deidara's previous movements directly - he forces himself to go slow. He tells himself that it's so that he wouldn't make Deidara suspicious since he could feel his gaze boring into his hands. In reality, he doesn't even know if it's the truth.

But time continues to move on and eventually he finishes his bird. The rain outside is now a fine drizzle as he stares at his slightly misshapen bird. One of its eyes is bigger and located slightly higher than the other, and its beak is not really centered. The talons are too small for its body and its body is too skinny. He's silent for a moment, acutely aware of Deidara's breathing.

Obito has to move at some point.

"I did it, senpai!" Tobi exclaims, shoving the bird at Deidara's direction, a little proud and a little embarrassed at his creation. "I did it!"

"You did, hm," Deidara says, a small smile plastered on his face. He gently takes the bird from Tobi's now-bare hands and looks it over. And though Obito could see every single flaw, Deidara doesn't even try to attempt to fix any of them. "I didn't even really do much to teach you."

"Yeah, you did!" Tobi says, leaning forward and watching his bird as well. "You are here for moral support, and you told me what legs are."

Deidara snorts, something that Obito thinks is supposed to be a laugh. "I did, hm," he says, not moving his gaze from the bird.

"Senpai should keep it," Tobi continues to say. "I think that it will make an excellent shelf piece for your room. It is my first creation, so you better be honored that I chose you!"

Deidara says nothing and Obito panics for a moment, worried that he might have said something wrong. But then Deidara nods, his smile growing larger.

"Yeah," he grins, a strange look on his face.

Obito tries to catch it, but much like his art, it is gone as soon as it appeared. Tobi watches his senpai for a moment, pleased and shocked that he has agreed, but happy nonetheless.

Outside, the rain clouds dissipate and rays of the sun shine through, soaking up the land and reflecting against the puddles on the ground like a thousand diamonds. The wind blows and scatters some leaves, causing them to drift down on the ground. Yet the air is clean after the shower, the endless sky stretching on in a bright, blue hue.


End file.
